Such catheter sets are used, for example, for intermittent catheterisation. Intermittent catheterisation is the repeated emptying of the urinary bladder by means of a thin, single-use catheter. In principle, the single-use catheterisation of the urinary bladder should be carried out aseptically, i.e., with the use of sterile materials, disinfection of the urethra opening, use of a sterile lubricant and the sterile insertion of the catheter. For simple performance of intermittent catheterisation, there are a number of purchasable sets that contain all necessary individual parts. Because the users are often restricted in their movement, simple handling is particularly important for such sets.
From EP 1 641 510, a urinary catheter set is known that comprises a sterile package with a urinary catheter arranged in it. A collar is arranged on the catheter shaft of the urinary catheter. The collar is movable along the catheter shaft. When the urinary catheter is used, the package is opened and the urinary catheter is removed. The user can grip the urinary catheter on the collar thereby, so that sterile handling of the catheter is possible. Because the catheter is removed from the sterile package for use, however, there is always a risk of contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,798 also shows a urinary catheter set with a urinary catheter that is arranged in a sterile package. Each end of the package is closed with sealing seams. At the front end of the package, i.e., at the end at which the catheter is removed from the package, an insertion aid is arranged on the catheter. The rear end of the insertion aid is attached to the package by means of the front sealing seam. The insertion aid encompasses the catheter tip and forms a slide-out removal opening for the catheter. The package is extended beyond the front sealing seam and closed by means of a third sealing seam so that the catheter tip is also packaged in a sterile manner. A bellows is arranged between the rear end of the insertion aid, which is fixed in place in the sealing seam, and the front end of the insertion aid, which encompasses the catheter tip. In order to insert the catheter, the user grips the two ends of the insertion aid and pulls the catheter out of the package by means of gripping and releasing the two ends and folding the bellows in and out. The insertion aid is consequently a relative complicated construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,709 B1 shows a further urinary catheter set with a sterile package, in which a catheter and a wetting device are enclosed. The wetting device is formed as a wetting chamber that has on one end an opening at which the catheter can be slid outwards for use. The housing of the wetting chamber is used as a gripping aid during the insertion of the catheter. When inserting the catheter, the user therefore holds the housing with one hand and grips the other end of the catheter through the package with the fingers of the other hand. Then the hand that holds the catheter through the package is moved forwards, towards the wetting chamber, and the catheter is slid outwards through the opening in the wetting chamber. The wetting chamber consequently forms the gripping aid and the slide-out removal opening for the catheter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,115 also shows a catheter set with a sealed package in which a catheter, preferably a urinary catheter, is arranged. Formed in the package is a tapering in which a tube-shaped gripping aid is arranged. The tip of the catheter is arranged in the gripping aid. Two chambers are formed in the package by the tapering in the package: A first chamber, which is formed between a first end of the package and the gripping aid and which has a predetermined breaking point, and a second chamber formed between the gripping aid and the second end of the package, in which the catheter is arranged. For the insertion of the catheter, the package is opened at the predetermined breaking point and a lubricant is inserted into the first chamber. Then the penis is inserted into this first chamber. As a result, the urethra is automatically aligned with the hole of the gripping aid. The catheter is then inserted through the gripping aid and into the urethra. The gripping aid consequently forms the slide-out removal opening for the catheter.
Still another urinary catheter set is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,905. This urinary catheter set also comprises a package in which the urinary catheter is arranged. A slide-out removal opening for the catheter is arranged at one end of the package. In front of this catheter slide-out removal opening is a lubricant chamber through which the catheter is pushed during use and wetted with lubricant. A gripping aid is attached at the outlet of the lubricant chamber, i.e., of the catheter slide-out removal opening. Moreover, two parallel sealing seams that form a catheter guide can be provided in the package.
WO 03/008028 also discloses a catheter set with a package in which a urinary catheter is arranged. A component that forms a lubricant chamber, a gripping aid and a slide-out removal opening is attached in the closing-off sealing seam of the package. Here it is also described that for the insertion of the catheter, the user grips the front end of the catheter with the help of the gripping aid and grips the rear end of the catheter through the walls of the packages and moves the catheter in the direction of the slide-out removal opening of the package.